This scrimmage had more action than necessary

Published 7:00 pm, Wednesday, August 25, 2010

The season hasn’t even begun as yet but even scrimmage football games have a lot of action that coaches aren’t hoping for.

Last Friday Clear Springs and Spring got an early start on the season with some extra playing time after the playing time was thought to be over.

Chargers coach Clint Hartman said things started after the Clear Springs quarterback Dylan Doebler “Was hit very late out of bounds. He retaliated with a shove to the Spring player that hit him. A minor skirmish ensued.”

The scrimmage continued and the Spring Lions players were escorted to the sideline, according to Hartman.

Several players later a Chargers receiver again was hit late by a Lions defender.

Trying to help and protect his teammate, a Clear Springs player jumped in.

What happened next? Hartman doesn’t mince words here.

“Chaos ensued as the Spring bench emptied onto the field and several skirmishes commenced,” according to Hartman. “Players and coaches from Clear Springs worked to separate both teams and get them to their benches.

“After about one minute order was restored.”

Both head coaches huddled. It didn’t take long for Spring coach Sonny Karas and Hartman to agree to keep the scrimmage going only after the teams met each other in the middle of the field.

At this point Hartman addressed both teams. The Chargers and Lions faced each other on each hash mark.

Hartman said that work needed to be put in the scrimmage and not disrespected by the actions of a few of uncontrolled emotions and fighting. He stressed that fighting has no place in the game itself. Had this been a real game and not a scrimmage, Hartman added, suspensions would have hurt both teams to the point of possibly losing their first two games.

The ‘game’ resumed with no further incidents. When the scrimmage ended both teams shook hands and went home.

On Saturday morning Hartman addressed the team again, “Emphasizing that what occurred would not occur again…..what happened does not represent what the program represents.”

Several players did not show up for that Saturday morning meeting. Hartman waited until Monday afternoon’s workout to hand out discipline due to Friday night’s actions.